The school district is gearing up for a capital levy that’ll likely go to voters in February 2010, and starting meetings now to ask for input on what to ask voters to spend on. The first West Seattle meeting is set for October 10, West Seattle High School library, flyer here.
This one’s easy. There should be NOTHING on a third levy until the School Board and the Administration straighten out their finances and begin a program of equitable distribution of tax monies throughout the school district. Also, they seem to have the same predilections as the Port Authority with regard to property they no longer have a use for but won’t let go of – I’m thinking of the Denny grounds – do we really want another lighted play field? I don’t and from what I’ve read neither does anyone else in Westwood. What’s with the domineering school district, anyway. Yeah, bring on that levy vote and I’ll cast a decided NO.
I am voting NO on a new Levy!!!!
The District has abused powers and promises more of the same, in fact has stated in their School Board meetings that they plan on making more unpopular decisions.
I also do not like field lights, I live next to a field and lights that were jammed down the neighborhoods throat by the “leagues” and the School District. Watch out, the “leagues” and their money is what really drives the District to their unpopular votes. We don’t have to turn on our lights for dining or reading anymore, the School District does it for us.
The District is screaming in the North for Schools and Shutting them down left and right. Be it odd, that they are building on to High Schools where there appears to be plenty of space, and shutting down elementary schools where there is no space???
My OH MY What are voters to do? NO says the vote. NO on BEX 4 all it is doing is giving a license to kill neighborhoods, drive tax payers to poor, and send our kids running to private schools(those who can still afford it). OH and Raise the SUPERINTENDENTS WAGES…by a whopping 14%? Wish I could get that, mine were cut this year…How about yours?
Alki, Schmitz Park and Lafayette all need to be thoroughly renovated/rebuilt.
Okay, this is a DIFFERENT levy than BEX. To clarify, BEX is for major renovations/rebuilds like Denny/Sealth. This levy is the BTA levy (Buildings, Technology and Academics) and the “workhorse” maintenance levy for the district. It covers big ticket items like roofs and life safety down to carpeting and other smaller items (but if you have ever lived with decrepit, smelly carpeting in a school, it’s a big item).
The State Auditor just released a report telling the district (1) they have too many buildings for too few students and (2) that they have failed to keep up with preventative maintenance and far too many buildings are in bad shape.
The Auditor is right except that the excess capacity is in the south end (where we don’t need it) and not in the north end (where we do need it). The Auditor is also right about the maintenance. The district is up to about $400M in backlogged maintenance. One reason is because about 10 years ago the decision was made to cut the maintenance budget from 2% of the General Fund to 1%. And so, the slow decline of even more buildings happened.
Additionally, there are at least 3 projects from the last BTA that have ended up being wasted money. One is the tennis courts at Denny that are now being torn down. That’s about $2M down the drain. That inability to long-range forecast about buildings and their needs has to change. We can’t, as a city and a district, afford to throw money away.
The district – and its schools – desperately need this levy to pass. However, they have hurt themselves (as the above e-mails show) because they have NOT been open about the processes, NOT listened to communities and then want more money. This levy only needs a simple majority to win but the problem is that fewer people go to the polls in an off-time election (Feb. 2010) and with the economy tanking now, who knows what position the district will be in by then?
I ask you to please consider the many, many school buildings that are helped by this district. But, yes, hold their feet to the fire.
I hear your anger and I agree with it. This district has got to be more respectful to the communities where their schools sit. But, honestly, many, many
One correction I need to make; this levy is NOT a maintenance levy. What I understand is that maintenance is mostly everything without a hammer (landscaping, painting etc.) and that this levy is for the big ticket items (windows, roofing, HVAC) but not general maintenance.
My apologies for any confusion.
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